Artist's Reception, Thursday, April 2, 6PM to 8PM
Exhibition continues to May 9

PLAY . . . "is not purely entertainment or a luxury to be given up when
things get serious . . . playfulness is . . . not only to be enjoyed but to be
accorded high value for its fundamental role in the success
of all organisms, including humans."

Platform Gallery is pleased to present Downtime, new paintings by Seattle artistJaq Chartier. In this show Chartier explores the realm of game boards and the
grid-based computer graphics of "match-3" games, where she finds common
ground with her ongoing Testing series.

Games are a universal from of enjoyment and a break from our daily concerns.
Whether played alone or with friends, games give us pleasure in an activity for its
own sake, allowing us to become fully absorbed in the present moment. Chartier
finds a corresponding kind of play in her studio practice, which for her is about
learning and interaction, recognizing underlying patterns, setting up and then
testing rules, and following her curiosity about materials and process.

With an emphasis on intimately sized works, the show includes a special
collection of Tiny Tests, as well as a free custom set of jpeg "tiles" for a computer
mahjongg game. Chartier will also be spending time in the gallery playing checkers
and other board games with friends and gallery visitors who would like a little
downtime of their own.